MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican government has made its first direct response to Donald Trump’s pledge to build a wall along the two countries’ border — and make Mexico pay for it.

“I say it emphatically and categorically: Mexico, under no circumstance is going to pay for the wall that Mr. Trump is proposing,” Mexican Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray said late Wednesday to Milenio television.

The wall proposal by the Republican presidential hopeful has been criticized widely and fiercely in Mexico, but the government itself has tried to avoid commenting directly on the issue until now.

Trump is leading the Republican presidential contenders and has used especially tough talk on immigration.

His comments came one day after Francisco Guzman of President Enrique Pena Nieto’s office told reporters that the government would not engage in verbal duels with U.S. candidates. Instead, he described a plan to reach out with information to campaigns through Mexican consulates in the U.S.

Former Mexican president Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon had already derided the idea and compared Trump to Adolf Hitler.

“Building a wall between Mexico and the United States is a very bad idea, it is an idea based in ignorance and that is not supported by the reality of North American integration,” Videgaray said. He said there was no way that Mexican taxpayers could pay for that sort of project.

Since he launched his campaign last summer, Trump has taken aim at Mexicans, saying they bring crime and drugs to the U.S. and are “rapists.”

Mexico’s answer until now had been to remind Americans of the economic contributions made by their citizens and Mexican-Americans. The two countries’ trade amounts to more than $500 billion annually.

More in Politics

Toxins released by the algae have poisoned dolphins, manatees, tons of fish and even contributed to the death of a 26-foot-long whale shark. The deluge of dead and rotting wildlife strewn across beaches has threatened to upturn the vital Florida tourist season

Sarasota County GOP chairman Joe Gruters told the AP that Melissa Howard made the right decision. "I think she saved the party and community a lot of heartache," Gruters said. "I hope she gets the help she needs."

A rooftop camera recorded the silver Ford Fiesta driving past Parliament and suddenly veering sharply to the left, striking cyclists waiting at a set of lights, then crossing the road and crashing into a barrier outside Parliament. Armed police surrounded the car within seconds, pulling a man from the vehicle. Police said the driver was alone and no weapons were...